The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is in shambles. Melissa Barrera, who plays Sam Carpenter, was fired for supporting Palestine on social media. Jenna Ortega, who plays Sam’s sister Tara, also bowed out of the film, citing scheduling conflicts with season 2 of Wednesday. And if losing the film’s two leads wasn’t enough, director Christopher Landon also left the project, calling the gig “a dream job that turned into a nightmare.”
Despite a successful reboot in 2022 with Scream (a.k.a. Scream 5) and a strong follow-up with last year’s Scream 6, the once promising seventh chapter is currently a dumpster fire as producers and Paramount Pictures try to figure out their next steps. If they have any brains at all, those next steps will involve paying Neve Campbell whatever the hell she wants to return as franchise star Sidney Prescott.
Scream‘s de facto Final Girl and long-running heroine didn’t return for Scream 6, citing low pay as the main factor. At the time, Campbell told People Magazine, “I honestly don’t believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man.”
Campbell was recently asked about the franchise in a red carpet interview with The Hollywood Reporter at the BAFTA Tea Party. She said, “I know things are spinning at the moment, and I would imagine they are spinning at the top trying to figure out what they’re going to do. I would not be surprised to get a call … But at the same time, I made a strong statement a few years ago, which is I did not believe that the way that I was treated would’ve happened if I had been a male and that I deserve a certain thing for having carried this franchise for as long as I have.”
Fellow Scream alum spoke out in support of Campbell, with Matthew Lillard (who played Stu Macher) calling the situation “infuriating” and “straight-up sexism.” Jamie Kennedy, who played Randy Meeks, called it “a clear example of how twisted the system is.”
Campbell continued, “We have to stand up for women in this business and know what we’re worth. That hasn’t changed for me, … So, if they were to come back to me, it would have to be with a respectful offer that I felt was in keeping with what I bring to this franchise.” She then said that the franchise means so much to the fans, cast, and crew, adding “We’ll see.”
Scream screenwriter and creator Kevin Williamson told the Happy Horror Time podcast that he hoped Campbell would return, saying “I would give her the money. I’m sure there’s a number they can agree on that will make them both happy, so hopefully one day they will figure that all out.”
(featured image: Paramount Pictures)
